Fine Gael calls for public sector pay freeze to avoid damaging education cuts
- Published: 30 October 2008
Source : Irish Examiner
By Paul O'Brien, Political CorrespondentFINE GAEL has urged Taoiseach Brian Cowen to implement a public sector pay freeze in order to avoid the damaging education cutbacks.
Fine Gael leader Enda Kenny told the Dáil yesterday that a pay freeze on public servants earning more than €50,000 a year would save €300 million and prevent the "mayhem" in classrooms that the cutbacks would cause.
"That money would save all of the services that are to be cut, namely books for Travellers, language resource teachers, resource teachers and cover and substitution where required," said Mr Kenny.
"In that way, the Government would not inflict, by deliberate short-sightedness, absolute mayhem on schools nor cause consternation for parents all over the country."
But Mr Cowen gave no indication that the Government would consider such a pay freeze. And he refused to accept Fine Gael's argument that the cutbacks would cause massive damage.
"On the question of finding savings, we are suggesting going back to the teaching schedule of September 2007," said Mr Cowen.
"I do not accept the contention that the proposed changes will put children at an irreversible disadvantage or lead to a drastic reduction in service. We are talking about going back to the situation that pertained in 2007, which itself was far better than preceding years."
Labour leader Eamon Gilmore criticised the Government for giving "two different messages" on the issue in recent days.
While Fianna Fáil had insisted the cutbacks would proceed as planned, their Green partners had claimed they would seek changes.
"The Green party has apparently decided to send Deputy Paul Gogarty to negotiate with the Minister for Education," said Mr Gilmore.
"It must be the first time that a party in government has sent a backbencher to renegotiate measures already agreed by its ministers in government."
He asked the Taoiseach to clarify exactly what the situation was, and when Mr Cowen made clear there would be no changes, Mr Gilmore said: "There is not a fig-leaf, whether organic or genetically modified, to cover the political embarrassment of the Green Party.
"The Taoiseach's Green Party colleagues... are telling parents they will negotiate changes in the education cuts... However, it is clear from the Taoiseach's reply that the Government's position and that of the Minister for Education is that there will be no change."
